


better late

by days4daisy



Category: Dark Matter (TV)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Blink Drive, Chocolate Box Treat, M/M, Mistaken Identity, Season/Series 02
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-14
Updated: 2018-02-14
Packaged: 2019-03-05 00:26:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13376232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/days4daisy/pseuds/days4daisy
Summary: Three has survived time loops, aliens, prison, and corporate wars. What's a little meet-and-greet with a doppelganger of the Galactic Authority's chief inspector?





	better late

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Mimm](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mimm/gifts).



> Happy CB, Mimm!

Three can't believe he signed on for this one.

No, actually, he can. He's survived time loops, aliens, prison, and corporate wars. What's a little meet-and-greet with a doppelganger of the GA's chief inspector?

Three doesn't like it though. He doesn't care what the robot pulled up in her investigations of this timeline; that it's been over a year since Kierken went AWOL from the Galactic Authority.

The encrypted message they received asked for Three only, and Three is _not_ falling for an elaborate GA set-up. The second Three thinks the deal is going south? He's dropping the chief inspector and high-tailing it back to the Marauder.

"We need information," Six reminds him. "And we need the transfuser replacement for the Blink Drive."

"I don't get why we've gotta go through Kierken for that," Three mutters. "What, we warp to a galaxy where he's not only the GA's golden boy, he's a goddamn astrophysicist too?"

Six rolls his eyes like Three doesn't even know what astrophysics are. Three sulks, and reminds himself that he hates Six. "I'll get the damn part," Three tells them. "Then I'm shooting him in the face."

Six and Five give him sourpuss looks. Two has the sense to only shrug. "Suit up," she says, "the drop's in an hour."

***

Three doesn't like this. If he'd known the spot Kierken was setting up for their meeting, he would have refused point blank.

Kierken picks an abandoned warehouse. The occasional flickering, dusty light only makes the shadows more palpable. The generator must be on emergency power, there's no heat in the building. Cold seeps under Three's leather jacket, and goosebumps prickle down his arms.

"Son of a bitch," he mutters, pistol cocked and flashlight activated. The worst thing about the location is how open it is. The machinery has been moved out, and the warehouse spans one wide, empty room. The ceilings are low, presenting a false sense of smallness. If Three finds himself in a fight, he's going to have to win a battle of bullets. There's no place to hide, he’s walking into a slaughterhouse.

"Ah, there you are." Three cocks his gun higher. His flashlight's glare catches the chief inspector leaning against a wall.

Former chief inspector. Whatever the hell he is.

Kierken is out of uniform. His jacket is the color of a good merlot, black shirt and jeans to match the casual ensemble. With his face shaved and a leg bent against the wall, he could be a goddamn Mr. Universe model. Kierken's smile is easy, like he doesn't have one of the most notorious criminals in the galaxy pointing a gun at him. "You kept me waiting," he says.

“Lucky I kept you alive,” Three mutters back. He’s not smiling.

“Yes, not an ideal rendezvous point,” Kierken agrees, with a sigh at their surroundings. “Abandoned independent mining stockhouse. I scanned it myself before you arrived. All clear.”

“Good thing I trust you,” Three says wryly. He aims the barrel of his blaster at Kierken’s chest.

Crazily, Kierken smiles at the provocation. “You’re about as angry as I expected.” He steps forward, and he doesn’t stop when Three’s finger tenses on the trigger. Kierken places his hand on Three’s weapon, long fingers draped down the barrel. “If I say I’m sorry, will you calm down?”

“You? Sorry?” Three grits the words behind clenched teeth. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“I’m sorry,” Kierken says. Three’s attention snaps from Kierken’s hand on his gun to his eyes. Sharp, blue, staring right back at Three. “Things got hot for awhile. Contact would have only complicated matters.”

“Contact tends to do that,” Three mutters. Kierken chuckles like he thinks it’s a joke. Three arches a bewildered brow. “What matters?”

“Oh, the usual.” Kierken gives up on Three’s weapon, releasing the barrel in favor of crossing arms over his chest. “The Galactic Authority is a career for life. Early retirement isn’t looked upon favorably.”

Well, at least the robot’s intel was on point. Three frowns. “They run a hit on you?”

“Oh no, that would look terrible. They contracted help through Ferrous.”

Three’s frown deepens. “Ferrous?”

Kierken shrugs like they’re discussing weather. “May have been Traugott this time. It’s funny how it all blends together, isn’t it? You used to lump them together too. ‘The corporations,’ like they were one mass conglomerate of evil.” He sighs. “Another thing I had wrong. Are you going to shoot me or not?”

Three blinks. Kierken may be kidding, but Three sees his tension thrumming through his crossed arms. He wonders if the guy expects Three to put him out of his misery right here and now.

Three intended to do just that before, but he needs the transfuser thingie. He also, maybe, wants to wrap his brain around whatever the hell this Kierken is talking about. He’s not saying much that doesn’t make sense - it’s the corps against all, and the GA’s hands are just as dirty. Maybe this reality isn’t so much different from Three’s. But a Kierken who has come to despise his life’s passion is impossible to get his mind around.

He wants to. He clicks the safety on his blaster and stuffs it into his holster. Both pistols hang against his thighs, leather holsters strapped over his slacks. “Apology accepted,” he says, “ _if_ you get me that transfuser.”

“You’ll get it,” Kierken says, “as soon as I get what I came for.” Nothing in his expression betrays a bluff.

Seems easy enough, except for one thing. “And you came for…?”

The last thing he expects is Kierken’s grave expression to become a smirk. His wide stride closes the space separating them. Three’s hands swoop for his blasters, and he’s just about to draw when Kierken grabs his shirt and yanks him into a kiss. What the hell?

The gesture catches Three off guard, and his mouth stutters open in surprise. Kierken seems to take the allowance as permission. He eases into Three’s space, casually confident, a hand rising to cup Three’s jaw. His thumb swipes a corner of Three’s lips, and Three is startled by the jolt that comes from the touch. Kierken is more than happy to accept his gasp.

Kierken eases back, an appraising arch to his brow. “You’re still not happy with me.”

“What the hell are you doing?” Three hisses before he can think to say or do otherwise. His shock-sluggish brain struggles to catch up. The reason why Kierken wanted him here, only him. The calmness of his greeting. ‘As soon as I get what I came for.’

“Hm.” Kierken considers Three with narrowed eyes.

The next second, Three hoists his blasters, to match the gun Kierken is pointing at his chest. “What the hell?” Three demands. It seems to be the refrain of the day.

“Who are you?” Kierken asks. There’s a chill to his voice that pushes past his usual stick-up-the-ass cop act. Three hears the personal affront in the threat, the genuine anger.

“I’m who you think I am,” Three says, and he flinches at his own words. Stupid. This whole thing is stupid. “Just...not from here.”

“What?” Kierken snaps. His hand tenses on his weapon.

“The Blink Drive,” Three tells him. He’s not sure if there’s a god or a devil or whatever, but he silently asks anyone whoever may be listening for a hand. At close range, as much confidence as Three has in his shooting, he’s not making it out of here in one piece. The good news is, neither is Kierken. But it would be an idiotic way to go, over a misunderstanding! A colossal misunderstanding, yeah, but…

Whatever otherworldly being is out there must be listening. A flicker of understanding softens Kierken’s expression. He doesn’t lower his weapon, but there’s a new light in his eyes. Three can almost see his mind ticking. “You’re not from here,” he says.

“Our drive shorted out. Android said you were different in this universe. You could help us get up and running.”

Kierken frowns. “I was different.”

Three shrugs, an exaggerated motion with Lulu and Pip still aimed. “There’s a Kierken in our universe too. Pain in the ass GA inspector, can’t wrap his brain around the fucked up stuff going on under his nose.”

Kierken looks at him, something dawning in his face that Three can’t read. His mouth twitches, but it isn’t a happy smile. He lowers his weapon. “Yes, well. He’ll get there, if he’s lucky.”

Three holsters his blasters and releases the breath he realizes he’s been holding. “So, uh. The transfuser.”

Kierken tucks a hand into his jacket, and Three instinctively tenses. The fingers emerge with a black envelope, and he holds it out to Three. “Give this to your android. She’ll take care of the rest.”

“Yeah, thanks.” He takes the envelope, looks at it, and at Kierken, and back at the envelope. He frowns at himself, and at the odd look on Kierken’s face. “So…” Three wills himself to shut up. Tries to tighten his mouth, chew his tongue, anything to keep from saying, “You and me?”

“ _Not_ you,” Kierken says, with hands propped on his waist. “I believe you have what you came for.”

“Ok.” Three knows how to take a hint, Kierken’s iced expression is all he needs. He turns with the envelope saluted over his shoulder. “Thanks, and - um,” he cringes - _stop talking_ \- “sorry, for- uh,” _stop_ , “I didn’t know. We knew you were off the force, but…I didn’t know.”

It isn’t much, but some of the tension leaves Kierken’s shoulders. He sighs, a heaviness to his expression that makes him look more tired than angry. “Get out of here,” he says.

Three nods, grateful for the excuse to leave without another word.

***

“What do you have to say for yourself?”

Kierken’s talent is to get into the minds of his criminals. He has his position as Chief Inspector because of his ability to recreate his targets’ crimes. To reduce their horror to little more than psychological strategy. It’s here that Kierken is a master tactician, the chessmaster of the Most Wanted’s mindsets.

He foresees a number of responses Marcus Boone may have to this question. There is a small chance he will confess. They barely escaped EOS-7 with their lives, and help will likely not come soon. Perhaps this change of fortune will help Boone see reason.

More likely, Boone will give some excuse for his crimes. He'll claim no knowledge of the events that led to the destruction of EOS-7. At the very least, he will proclaim innocence for his shipmates Lin, Varrick, and Kolburn. Sentimentality is an odd, new quirk to Marcus Boone. Kierken is not sure where it sparked from, and ultimately it does not matter. Sentiment is vulnerability, and Kierken can use it to pursue the truth.

Will Boone claim innocence for Ishida as well? Kierken recalls Lin’s warning in his procured earpiece. Ishida was targeting the station. Something would happen to the reactor core, that the entire station was in danger.

She was lying, she had to be lying. Still, Kierken sent personnel to the reactor room to check. Ten minutes later, the first explosion went off.

Now, Kierken looks at a cuffed and quiet Marcus Boone, suit ripped and bloody, face a mess of bruises. _Ferrous_ , Boone slurred as Kierken dragged his near-unconscious body to the escape pods. _It was Ferrous_.

Ferrous. Ishida. The two sides in tandem? The idea freezes in the pit of Kierken's stomach.

Boone looks at Kierken, blinking sluggish eyes at his Authority captor.

“What happened up there?” Kierken presses. It irritates him to no end that his line of questioning has shifted. But it must, he knows that now. It isn’t ‘what did you do’ anymore, much as the thought chills Kierken. The Raza are criminals and thieves, but they are not responsible for EOS-7. Are Ishida and Ferrous working together? If so, to what end?

Boone frowns and blows out a breath. Kierken shifts forward, straining to hear him.

Of the many responses he expects, Boone’s mouth touching his is too far out of left field to fathom. It isn't much of a kiss, Boone does not have the energy of it. His lips stutter against Kierken's, the briefest flick of his tongue between them. Kierken stiffens, unmoving.

Their mouths part with a gentle pop of separation. Boone’s bleary, blue eyes gaze back into Kierken’s own.

Anger and confusion battle tempest-like in Kierken's gut. “You-”

“Ok,” Boone says, soft, like he’s somewhere far away. “I get it now.”

“What?” Kierken demands. “You get what?”

He frowns when Boone goes limp in his handcuffs, his body sagging against the wall of the old warehouse. Kierken’s fingers press to the pulse point under Boone’s jaw. He has a heartbeat. He’s passed out, but very much alive. For now.

Kierken scowls at his unconscious face, the troubled wrinkle that lingers on Boone’s brow. He's having trouble breathing, exhales shivering through his open lips.

His lips. Kierken’s eyes linger longer than they should.

With an emphatic shake of his head, Kierken turns away. He needs to find supplies in this place. The generator is not working, the temperature will be falling soon. And he needs to figure out a way to get a distress signal back to his command post. He’ll need to be picked up, with accommodations made to take Marcus Boone into custody. Finally, after all this time.

Kierken frowns at the unexpected sourness that churns his stomach at the thought. In this conundrum, he finds his anger returning to Boone’s unconscious face.

What new game is this?

Whatever it is, it isn’t going to work. Marcus Boone is a murderer and a terrorist. He may have escaped Hyperion-8 once, but Kierken will find an even more secure location for him. Boone will stand trial for what he’s done. And Kierken will take down everyone involved in the destruction of Iriden-3 and EOS-7.

Assuming Boone receives a fair trial from the Authority. Kierken scowls at his own skepticism. The GA may be broken, but it is still the law. It is still justice.

 _I get it now._ What does Boone get?

Hands clenched, Kierken stalks off in search of supplies. His bottom lip is snagged between his teeth, tasting the hint of Marcus Boone that remains.

*The End*


End file.
